The present invention generally relates to a device that may be used to seal the opening of a container, as well as methods of use and manufacture related to the device. In various embodiments, the device may be used to seal containers having a spout or opening with a cap or lid adapted to be operatively connected to the spout or opening, respectively. In other embodiments, the device may be used to seal the opening of a container without utilizing a cap or lid.
Apparatus currently exist in the relevant art that may be used to seal the opening of a container. For example, the container may have a cap or lid that is connected to the container at the opening. Thus, a bottle with a threaded spout may have a cap with corresponding threads that may be rotated down onto the spout to prevent the contents of the bottle from spilling out through the spout. Alternatively, plastic ware that may be used to store food and other items may have a lid or top that is pressed down over the opening of the container. The geometries of the container surrounding the opening and the lid or top may be such that they interact to hold the lid or top in place relative to the container while the lid or top is connected to it. Again, the lid or top is designed to prevent spillage of the contents of the container through the opening of the container. In both of these cases, as well as other examples well known in the art that are not described herein, the seal between the container and its cap, lid or top may not be hermetic, so that fluids (gases or liquids) and certain solid materials (such as powers and granules) in the container may spill out the container opening even when the cap, lid or top is operatively connected to the container. In such instances, it may be necessary or desirable to position a flexible sheet of material, such as a thin sheet of plastic, between the container and its cap, lid or top to ensure the seal is adequate to retain the contents of the container. Sheets of this type of plastic material are well known in the art, and are often known as “plastic wrap,” “cling wrap” or “glad wrap.” Such products may be sold under the trademarks GLAD WRAP, GLAD PRESS'N SEAL, SARAN WRAP, SARAN PREMIUM WRAP, and STRETCH-TITE.
In other cases, the container may not have a corresponding cap, lid or top, or it may be more desirable to avoid using the cap, lid or top in certain instances, such as where the contents of the container exceed the capacity of the container with the cap, lid or top in place. In these cases, a flexible sheet of material may be used to seal the opening of the container without the use of a cap, lid or top. Thus, a thin sheet of plastic, such as plastic wrap, may also be positioned over the opening of the container in lieu of a cap, lid or top in order to seal the container opening.
In any case, when using thin sheets of plastic wrap, it is often inefficient, difficult and cumbersome to manipulate the plastic wrap into position over the opening of the container in order to provide a seal for the opening, as described above. For example, it is sometimes difficult to locate the end of the plastic wrap on the roll on which it is sold because of the transparent or consistent coloring of the plastic wrap. Even when the end can be located, it may be difficult to pull the end free from the remainder of the roll because of the clinginess, stickiness or tackiness that generally characterizes the plastic wrap. Further, when a portion of plastic wrap is pulled from the roll in order to be removed from it, the cutting mechanism designed to cut the portion of the roll to be removed is often ineffective. Rather than simply and easily cutting the material along the desired path, the mechanism often binds against the plastic wrap and causes the plastic wrap to bunch together in the direction of the cut. This is inconvenient because the plastic wrap, with its typical tackiness, is then difficult and time-consuming to straighten out again. Even if the cut is made as desired, the process of making the cut typically requires the use of both hands, which may present difficulty where use of both hands is not practical or convenient.
Even after the desired sheet of plastic wrap has been removed from the roll, static electricity, along with the clinginess, stickiness or tackiness of the wrap, may lead it to wrap around the hands or arms (or both) of the person using the sheet. Once again, the person using the material is then required to straighten it prior to use, which is often a cumbersome and difficult task, leading to wasted time and effort. If the plastic wrap becomes too tangled or bound, it may be necessary to discard it and start over again. In addition to being time-consuming and frustrating, this is also wasteful of natural resources. Even after moving the straightened plastic wrap to the container opening, it may be difficult to position the sheet of plastic wrap over the opening. For example, this task often takes both hands, and if one hand is not available (such as where it is necessary to hold the container with one hand), it may be difficult, time consuming and cumbersome to position the sheet over the opening without the sheet becoming tangled. There may also be cases where it is desirable for the plastic wrap to have some structure, such as one or more rigid members extending across the plastic wrap as it's positioned over a container opening. Thus, in covering a pie pan, the plastic wrap stretched over the pan could be held away from the pie, rather than sagging downward and contacting the pie's surface.
In addition, it may not always be convenient to utilize typical rolls of plastic wrap in all instances where it may be desirable to use plastic wrap. For example, if a person desires to use plastic wrap to seal containers while traveling, it is typically too cumbersome to carry a complete roll of plastic wrap along on the travels. If sheets are removed from the roll before the travel, they tend to tangle, making their use difficult and cumbersome. If two or more of such sheets are placed together, they not only tend to bind together, but to tangle as well, compounding the problem even more.
As a result, there is a need for a device that may be used to seal a container opening in a manner that avoids the problems described above. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a sealing device utilizing plastic wrap or another sealing sheet that can be easily removed from the packaging in which it is sold. A device that would avoid the need to cut and remove the sheet from a larger component would be particularly advantageous. A beneficial device would also prevent the plastic wrap or other sealing sheet from distorting its shape in a manner that would make its use unduly cumbersome. Therefore, the device would preferably prevent the plastic wrap or other sheet from distorting enough so that it wraps around the user's hands or arms or both. The device would also assist in conforming the plastic wrap or other sheet into the shape desired to position it over the opening of the container. The device may also incorporate some structure, so that it holds its position while covering the opening. Further, the device would be adapted to be of a size corresponding to the container or range of container sizes for which it is to be used. Further still, the device would be capable of being folded or otherwise compacted to minimize the volume required for its storage. Similarly, the geometry of the device would be such that multiple devices can be efficiently stacked together. These features would save available storage space and allow the user to conveniently carry the device while traveling. In addition, the preferred device would be capable of being adapted for use with different sizes and shapes of containers within a given range. It would also be desirable for the device to be disposable, as well as inexpensive and simple to manufacture.
There may also be concerns regarding the materials comprising the plastic wrap. For example, certain plastic materials may be less suitable for use with food than other plastic materials. Thus, plastic wrap constructed of a more clingy material may be desirable because the plastic wrap adheres better to the sides of the container, holding the wrap in place against the container, but the material may be less suitable for use with the contents of the container than other materials. In contrast, materials that may be more compatible with the container contents may be less clingy, so that the plastic wrap does not adhere to the container as well, and may fall away from the container rendering use of the plastic wrap impractical. As a result, there is a need for a device that seals a container opening with a material that is suitable for use with the contents of the container, while the device also provides for adequate adherence to the sides of the container.